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February 25, 2013

SUMMER BREAK BLUES by J.A.Campbell

SUMMER BREAK BLUESby J.A. Campbell

The Clanless Series, Book 2

BLURB:Meg managed to survive her senior year of high school as a vampire, and now she’s looking forward to a relaxing summer with her friends before trying to tackle college. Unfortunately, some unfinished business from the previous year rears its ugly head. Meg is forced to deal with the Sidhe who are distinctly unhappy that she killed one of their kind last winter. Then Ann’s parents vanish while on their annual summer vacation in Maine and it’s up to Meg and the rest of the gang to come to the rescue. Though she is still trying to figure out who and what she has become, Meg feels she and her friends are up to the challenge. That is, until things really start to fall apart.

EXCERPT:

Even though Steph and Alexander could see almost as well as I could, I was the only thing keeping them from being swept away. The waves picked up halfway to the lighthouse. One about knee height rolled across the slick black rocks. I braced and tightened my grip on them, desperately holding on. I sensed from Alexander that I ground bones together, but I was sure they’d rather have bruised hands than be swept out to sea.

The wave hit us and tried to take my feet out from under me, but my Vampire…something…allowed me to keep my balance and stand firm against the onslaught. Steph staggered but kept her feet, and I heard Alexander swearing, but he didn’t fall. We pushed onward, slowly. Steph tried to hurry but the water came up faster than I expected. Well, I didn’t know that much about oceans, but it seemed like it rose quickly. Maybe it was the storm.

The next wave hit me mid-calf. I stood firm. Alexander stumbled into my back and Steph lost her footing, the water dragging her until I jerked her upright by her abused arm. I pulled her back toward me so we could hear each other.

“We should go back!” The pounding surf drowned out my words but she knew what I said and shook her head.

“We’re over halfway. The lighthouse will shelter us!”

I winced at her shout, able to hear her much better than she could hear me. Alexander pushed himself against my back, wrapping one arm around my stomach, which I thought was weird, but then the waves hit us again, and I understood. He held on for dear life.

Even with the danger. I was aware of how close he was. I pulled away, almost pushing Steph forward as I dragged him along.

We were battered by several more waves, and I tried to hurry, not wanting my friends to drown. I was strong but knew nature was stronger.

REVIEW:
This is Book Number 2 of THE CLANLESS SERIES. This book is the sequel to SENIOR YEAR BITES. Meg and her friends graduate and make plans for what they're going to do, but as everything else, plans are subject to change.

The friends plan to find out about Ann's parents, who have disappeared, so they set out on the road. Meg has to keep dealing with Ann, who she thinks is a crazed out Fae. She has been on their raw side since things that had happened in their last year of high school. The author has written a great sequel to SENIOR YEAR BITES. She has taken a group of friends and put them smack dab in the middle of a mystery, which invariably puts them in danger. They are also trying to save Ann's parents from whatever has happened to them. Things are now changing, as situations do. Meg is the one true friend to Ann in this novel. She tries to go along with her friends on how they perceive Ann. She doesn't want to attack them while she tries to help her friend, Ann, find her parents even though Ann is acting more and more strange. Meg is being torn in several directions and the pressure is mounting.

J.A. Campbell creates her teen characters as teens. They talk and act like teens. It makes you remember when you were a teen, how awkward and uneasy it can be. She shows through the characters how teens in "love" can block out all reality. The author brought about a lot of action in the book, showing how one person can be torn in many directions. It also shows some peer pressure that teens go through.

Meg is still finding out more about herself and her powers. She has so many questions. Too be she couldn't have taken Powers 101 to answer her questions. She and her friends are stumbling along the way, not really knowing what to do or where to go. Is there danger ahead that possibly could put them at risk? The book is full of emotions, relationships, mystery, choices and so much more. It's a learning trek for all the characters. There are twists and turns on every page. The author has done a good job of portraying what it's like to be a teen while adding a little romance, mystery and fantasy. It's definitely a keeper. It's a keeper because it's a page turner. It's a page turner because you can place yourself in their shoes.

I'd recommend this book not only to YA but to any age. We're all young at heart and can remember those teen age crushes and first loves. We all want a little fantasy in our lives. So what if it's a YA novel? Who says you can't enjoy it and that's what it's all about. Enjoying the read.